A Note from the Performing Arts Department

When I think of conscription, I think of men like my father. Men that, because of the year they were born, may have been required by the government to serve. Men that uprooted, redirected and/or forever changed the course of their lives, because of, and for, their country. And I, the greatest of rule-followers, can’t help but be struck by the magnitude of that ask.

Our production of Birdie follows a rock-and-roller who is about to be drafted. There is so much about this musical that is relevant - the teenage angst, relationship struggles, and persistent worry parents feel - but there is also so much about how the draft affects life that feels hard to understand. That is, until we look to the news and see the popular k-pop band, BTS, undergoing the same process in South Korea over 60 years later. The parallels still shockingly remain.

Tonight, join me in congratulating the cast for leaning on each other, learning about history, and delving into a musical that often makes fun of them as teens and pre-teens. We hope we help you “Put on a Happy Face” as you follow our story about “A Healthy, Normal, American Boy” with “A Lot of Livin’ To Do.”

Enjoy!

Ashley Hacker MS/US Dance, Debate & Drama Coordinator